Burn the Witch - Castlevania
by TeaDracula
Summary: ɢᴇᴛ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ʜᴇʀᴇ! ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʏ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜ! Adelaida Nikolae, an orphaned girl from the town of Bucharest, is left as the lone survivor of her wide spread family after the horrifying attacks on Wallachia from Dracula and his creatures. One day, she meets the elusive and beautiful Alucard Tepes by a lake, and from there on their path together is set.
1. Chapter 1 - The man by the lake

**_Official cover art by:- honeybunny-art on Tumblr_**

 _"Get out of here! Bloody witch!"_

Everyday, Adelaida heard that same word being screamed at her; _Witch_. Her hands would come up as to cover her face from being hit by the flying rocks and she'd scramble to her feet into a shaky run as to escape her attackers - being in the city just wasn't safe anymore.

In the beginning, everything was fine. No-one gave her a second glance or even really cared that she existed, she was just another regular citizens - but the moment the attacks began on Wallachia, her whole life was thrown out from underneath her. In a matter of 4 nights, her whole family, consisting of her mother, father and 6 siblings, was gone. Ripped from her grasp in a rain of blood - she was somehow the lone survivor, and many days, she wished she had been killed like the rest of them as to not suffer the weight of her current situation. During one of the final attacks on Bucharest, Adelaida had an extremely close call with one of the demonic creatures with wings, its sharp claws reaching for her as she somehow fit herself into an extremely small alleyway - her heart almost giving out as she screamed in fear of her life for what felt like hours before she rendered herself unconscious. Yet, to her surprise, she woke up the next day to the sunrise and a silence over her once beautiful little city. Pushing herself from her hiding place and walking throw what felt like rivers of blood, she absentmindedly walked herself to her family home to see if anyone had survived, her legs moving before her mind could rationalise what had even happened. She walked over bodies of men, women and children, their blood sprayed over every building as not a sound graced her ears, and upon reaching her family home, it was empty. Adelaida never truly knew if her family had escaped or if they had been killed, but when she found her home nearly exactly as she'd left it - she knew regardless that her family wasn't coming back. Upon finding one of her belongings, an old heirloom mirror, now face down on the floor, she reached down and took it into her hands slowly, and upon turning it to look at herself, her mouth opened as a silent scream echoed in her mind. The mirror fell from her hands and shattered loudly, only then the sound awakening her from her trance like state - everything she had ever loved, was gone. And her hair, from the shock horror she had experienced the night before, had turned stark grey. She was unsure how it was possible, or if she was seeing things, but the same day when she reentered into the world to find other survivors - she had her answer. From the very moment people saw her, she was discriminated against. Her now unnatural appearance caused unease in peoples minds - but she never thought it would go this far. From the whispers of her being cursed, to the outspoken opinion that she _must've_ had some sort of disease, to now being called a witch. It was unending, and Adelaida knew it would only end if she left, or was dead.

Pressed against the wall of an alleyway between houses, Adelaida struggled to catch her breath after yet another day of running from the eyes of those who believed her to be evil, a hand coming to her chest as every breath felt like fire.

She knew that before long her body was going to give out from the stress of simply attempting to stay alive, but she knew she couldn't let that happen, not after managing to survive the attacks - she had to find somewhere safer, or at least, another city where people didn't know her yet. Running a hand through her grey hair, the very thing that caused her such angish, she felt a hurt in her heart as she remembered the very reason why she refused to simply cut off her hair and live a maybe normal life - her mother. Before the attacks, her mother would adore brushing Adelaida's hair, as she did with the other 6 of her siblings. It wasn't a special thing, but it was a daily ritual and something Adelaida refused to let go of - her mother would be simply horrified if she cut off her hair, and even now when she was dead and gone, she still couldn't bring herself to do it.

Waiting for nightfall as to leave her hiding place, her body aching from hunger and thirst, she slipped out from her spot and looked around tentatively, making sure no-one was around before she took off into the town, her ripped dress trailing in the gravel. Adelaida was dressed badly for this time of year, only having her clothes left from before the attacks, and by now everything was ripped and stained with her own blood from the amount of times she'd been beaten. Her dresses were cold and dirty - but she had no other choice. Scampering through the town until reaching the city gates, she ducked underneath them gently as they were slowly coming down for the night as to seal the city off, her small frame just making it under as they slammed shut, dust being thrown up into her face as she stood on the other side. Many nights she had left the city to just have some peace in the wilderness, and tonight was no exception. Injured from another attack, and her body bruised and exhausted, she just wanted somewhere where she could lie down and fall asleep free from the judgement of others.

Walking slowly through the grass, she sighed a breath of relief that she was free for a time - her eyes lifting to the moon gently as if she was looking for answers, her hand gently resting on a tree as she stopped for a moment. The night air was cool and made her shiver, but it was welcomed - it only reminded her that she was in fact alive and not quite dead yet. Just as every night she escaped the city, she looked for the same lake she always did. It was fresh water and always quiet, she sometimes even fell asleep right there by the banks, and as she continued to walk slowly, she began to hear that ever so comforting sound of the running water. Her pace picked up slightly as the thought of washing off the dirt and blood became more and more alluring to her, but as she reached the edge of the trees before the water front, she stopped dead in her tracks, her breath hitching gently. By the edge of the lake, sat down in a relaxed position, sat a man. Long blonde hair reached down his back as a long sword lay by his side, his clothing dark as the night sky. It was an almost haunting sight to see her usually abandoned lake have someone near it, it almost made her curious, but in fear of him perhaps using that sword to kill her because they too thought her a witch, she silently hid herself behind a tree. She wondered why someone would be out alone at night, especially someone who seemed so well dressed and not homeless or harmed like her - but as soon as those thoughts graced her mind, she dismissed them. She cared not the reason they were alone, only that they too could harm her as anyone else could, and thus, she slowly began to back away from her beloved lake before a voice, _their_ voice, called out to her.

"Please, don't be afraid," He began in a soft tone, his figure slowly moving as he rose to his feet, his body turning to face Adelaida, his eyes gazing at her from afar the moment he turned, as if he knew she'd been there the whole time. "I'm actually just leaving, you don't have to hide, I'm not planning on hurting you."

He was unlike anything Adelaida had ever seen. He was hauntingly beautiful in a way she couldn't describe. Sharp features, strange almost glowing eyes, a mournful expression painted upon his face - he was utterly unique, but too, frightening. He was the most terrifying man she had ever seen, but she couldn't stop looking at him.

Moving slowly from her spot, she crossed over onto the banks of the lake from the trees, the moonlight covering her like a veil as she approached the lakeside, her eyes never once leaving the stranger who was there before her. His eyes squinted upon seeing her correctly, his eyes wandering her body in what seemed to be light concern, and Adelaida couldn't blame him - she knew she must've looked terrible, and from a glance into the still water of the lake to see her reflection, her thoughts were confirmed. Gently falling to her knees by the river, she cupped her hands and took a handful of water, bringing it to her mouth to drink as she let the cold air of the night whip around her gratefully.

" _What happened to you? Why are you so injured?"_

Gasping gently and turning her head, the remainder of the water in her hands falling back into the lake, Adelaida turned to see the man now much closer, standing just to her side - she hadn't even heard him move. Yet, something about a stranger asking her what happened made her feel a sense of slight joy, that the world wasn't full of people wanting to kill her. To be fair, she wasn't sure why she felt safe enough to tell this stranger what happened, but regardless, she did.

"The people of my town believe me to be a witch because of my hair. ' _Devil's work_ ', they say. ' _Unnatural_ '. They beat me quite mercilessly to get me to leave town." She spoke in a soft tone as her blue eyes met the man's, her heart straining as she recounted her reality to him. His expression stayed the same, his eyes only squinting more.

"And, you're _not_ a witch, I presume," Adelaida nodded gently. "Typical of people to do such a thing to someone they don't understand," His golden eyes slowly wandered down, looking upon a still somewhat open, bloody wound upon Adelaida's arm, his eyes instantly averting as if he had a terrible fear of blood, his expression only then changing. It was hard to say what the emotion was, but it looked to be slight disgust. "That wound on your arm, it's quite severe," He spoke gently before his hand raised to cover his mouth for a moment as if he was going to vomit, but he quickly moved it away again, regaining his composure. "Anyway, I-... I _must_ be going. Goodnight." And with that, the man turned and slowly walked into the woods from where Adelaida had once came, her eyes trying to find him in the darkness but to no avail. She almost felt sad that the one person who cared to hear what she had to say in years was gone, but she couldn't complain too much - she was finally alone and could wash herself off and forget the strain of her life for a while. Although, as she cleaned herself off, she continued to wonder who he was and why he was at the lake alone - she hoped that perhaps one day she'd see him again, but the world never worked like that.

Finally clean, and exhausted from a day of running, Adelaida lay down by the lake, and finally, fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2 - Nameless Knight

Awakened by the sound of birds singing and the early morning sun, Adelaida pushed herself up from the bank of the lake, her eyes gently blinking as the sun reflected the water beautifully.

 _Another day - still alive_.

As she sat herself up, she wondered if what she had seen the night before was real or if her injuries had finally gotten to her head. Surely a man who looked so strangely ethereal couldn't be real, and even more so, surely someone couldn't possibly be so nice to her. The thought of someone being so kind to her, and even seeming to have some concern for her well-being was simply astounding her - utterly unbelievable. Adelaida swept her hand gently over the patch of grass just by her the man had been standing the night before, a gently smile coming to her lips as she sighed in acceptance - real or not, he was gone now.

Moving to the water side more, cupping her hands and letting them fall into the ice like water, Adelaida slashed a handful of water up onto her face, rubbing it onto her skin as to clean it. Then moving to her arm where her most severe wound was, splashing water as to clean the blood from the now seemingly closed wound - she wondered how and why it had closed so fast as she was sure it was going to be a real issue, but she decided not to question it and simply thank her blessings that it was closed and not infected.

Adelaida knew that today like any day would be difficult and that her life would be on the line if she carried out her regular ritual - stealing food from the city. Given that she had no money and the fact that she was no-where near strong enough to hunt, scavenging the cities was the best she could do. It was either she took what she could from the city, or simply die - and at this point, having come so far, dying wasn't an option.

Reentering the city once more after making her way through the forest, Adelaida immediately ran for the alleyways, cramping herself into the small space as her frail body scuffed against the stone walls as she hid herself from the light of day. She sighed gently as she stood in silence, only the sound of talking and passing horses gracing her ears - no shouting. It was a pleasant surprise that no-one had seen her yet, but she knew it wouldn't stay that way for long if she stayed in the same area for too long. As if on cue to make her day harder than it already was, the Heavens suddenly opened as rain began to lightly fall from the sky, the small girl grimacing as she had nowhere to hide from the rain and no other clothes but her dress to cover her. Knowing that the rain would make her more ill, she felt a direness lean on her as to find something to eat for the day as to not be out in the open rain for longer than she had to. Moving through the catacomb like alleyways swiftly, her long dress trailing the ground as she walked, she found herself staring out to a cart of vegetables in the middle of the market. _Food_. Hunger gripped her mind like a vice, and thus, she picked up her dress and ran in the open street, swiping a small tomato from the corner. Never even stopping to take a breath as the sound of people screaming at her began, she continued to run, ducking and diving through every small street she could find. She knew she just had to get far enough away for the screams to stop so she could eat as fast as she could - she felt as if she was starving to _death._

Yet, fate was never quite on her side, and as she turned her last corner, a rock was thrown at her, hitting the back of her head harshly as she finally collapsed into a pile on an alley corner that boarded a street, the girl coming to her knees as she grasped the back of her head. She was bleeding again - but from the silence, she was safe for the time being. Tears spilled from her eyes gently as she sniffed, wiping her eyes with her small hands - she knew this was just how it was now, but still, the pain and mental strain of it all hurt her more than anything she'd experienced before.

Wiping off the tomato on her dress and then taking a large bite into it, Adelaida tried to relax for a moment, leaning against the street corner with a sigh - this was hardly enough to see her through a few hours never mind the whole day, but it had to do, she couldn't possibly go back to the market now, especially with people looking for her. About to take her second and final bite, her attempt to relax and eat where disrupted by a loud shout just by her.

" _You_! You stole from my cart!" With a gasp and raising her eyes, Adelaida saw a very large, gruff looking man marching towards her, sword in hand and with fire in his eyes - the cart owner. Stutters escaped her mouth as she shook with fear, attempting to get to her feet even with the great shoots of pain that struck through her. "I'll have your hands you thieving little-"

" _That's quite enough of that_." A familiar voice spoke out as another tall man moved past her gracefully, standing in front of her almost protectively as she sat staring up at the man from behind. It seemed like the cart owner was ready to strike the man who had stood in her way, but as his eyes raised to look the gentleman who had stepped forth properly, the fire in his eyes instantly faded and was exchanged for what seemed to almost be intimidation. The cart owner grumbled to himself as he nearly immediately stood down, bowing his head gently to the man before turning and marching off again. It was one of the strangest confrontations Adelaida had ever seen - but she couldn't complain, her life had been spared. And as the man turned, a hand came to her chest as she stared upwards in utter shock - the man from the lake. He was ****real****.

"Oh, it's _you_ again. I'm glad to see you're-," His voice trailed off for a moment as if he was contemplating what to say to her. "Well, I was _going_ to say 'glad to see you're in one piece', but, only just barely," The blonde man sighed as he slowly crouched down to the trembling girl's level, his golden eyes staring into what felt like her soul, his head tilting as he studied her. "I'm guessing this was the work of **_**Humans**_**. Playing witch hunter to calm their fears of what they don't understand. At this rate..." His voice trailed off once more as his eyes washed up and down her broken figure as she sat in the gravel, his expression growing nearly sympathetic for a second before returning to neutral, the tall man standing once more, towering over Adelaida.

"Listen carefully. I have things to attend to, but, if you're ever in danger, _true danger_ , run to the castle in the woods, I can guarantee your safety. I hope for _your_ sake that you never have to flee there, "Once again, his voice sounded almost pained by what he said. "Goodbye for now." And just as last time, the stranger left Adelaida with more questions than answers, a frail hand reaching out after him as he walked away into the crowds of people, seemingly once again, disappearing. For the second time in a very short span, this stranger had treated her with more kindness than anyone ever had - and she didn't even know his name. For a while she didn't even think he truly existed, but there he was before her once more, treating her better than anyone had in so long. She wondered if perhaps he had an angle, a reason for treating her so well, but when she looked into those eyes she knew he truly meant her no harm. Adelaida could only hope that she could see him again one day, but hopefully not under the circumstance he had suggested.

 _Another day - still alive_.


	3. Chapter 3 - The castle in the woods

About a week had passed since Adelaida had seen the mysterious stranger. She never saw him again at the lake side, and never again in the city - it was like he had completely vanished. Adelaida mourned the loss of her new found ' _friend_ ', her mind wandering as to where he may be and what he was doing - perhaps he was in the ' _castle in the woods_ ' he spoke of. In the end, she was unsure, sad to have not seen him in so long. She knew that people like that were rare in a time like this, and that the chance of her seeing him ever again was basically zero, but she would cherish those memories of a stranger protecting her forever. How could she forget those eyes? So mournful and yet so hauntingly beautiful - she would even see them in her dreams. Sometimes she even felt him standing there by her at the lake but, when she turned no-one was ever there. Adelaida wished she hadn't become as mentally attached to the stranger but, she just couldn't help herself. She knew he would haunt her forever. Some days she would think of seeking out the castle he spoke of, but every time she tried to venture into the woods to find it, she saw nothing. Adelaida wanted to believe that the man didn't lie to her but, her eyes told her that perhaps he did, perhaps giving her false hope as to let her feel better - she wasn't sure. She just hoped that if one day like he said if she was ever in 'true danger' she could find him there.

 ** **"Witch! Catch the witch!"****

Screams from the inner city followed Adelaida as she ran as her life depended on it, passing underneath the city's gates once more and into the forest, her eyes wide and wild as a mob of at least 20 people chased her down with torches and swords. The girl was unsure what had pushed the town over the line, but after her 7th consecutive day of stealing food, she was sure that was enough to make the people wish for her head. She had been reckless this week, stealing from the same place more than once and walking more in the open - everything had lead to this very moment. Adelaida had always known that sooner or later the group of people chasing her would become more than she could handle and that the cries for her death would become louder - but she hadn't thought it would happen anytime soon. It was early evening when they began to take chase, Adelaida having just stole more food to eat - it seemed this time the whole city had just had enough. Calls for her burning sounded into the night as she was chased the length of the city, always having a slight upper hand due to her knowledge of back streets and alleyway, but in the forest, it was a different game.

Unsure of where to turn, she stood at a crossroads - go to the part of the forest she knew or go deeper. Of course, going deeper could get her lost and she could easily die of exposure, but going the way she knew could lead others to her safe haven if they truly did continue to give chase, and thus, she chose to go deeper to perhaps escape the persecution of the law. As she ran, grey hair flying in the night wind, memories of her life flooded past her. Her mother, her siblings, the hate from the locals, the man by the lake. She couldn't help but feel a tear run down her face as she recalled her unfortunate life, the sound of people screaming to have her killed following close behind. She never once thought her life would come to such sadness.

Running and ready to collapse, a large structure suddenly came into sight that almost made her stop in her tracks - a castle. ' _The castle in the woods_ '. It was ****real****. The structure was large unlike anything she'd ever seen, her eyes gazing up in awe at the sheer size of the place. It looked old, much older than anything she had seen in her life, and it almost looked as if it was... misplaced. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it seemed wrong that it was in the woods in such a way - but regardless, there was no more time for thinking. She could ponder the castle later, but for now, she had to get inside. _He_ was in there. _He_ could help her.

Basically throwing herself at the horrifically large front doors, they flew open into a large foyer, Adelaida taking but a moment to observe the sheer size and beauty of the place. She couldn't believe a place like this existed in the woods, basically open for anyone to walk into. It was simply break taking, but before she could think anymore, she hid behind a large pillar, gripping her hand over her mouth as to not make a sound. Mere seconds later the mob entered, they too having a very similar reaction as Adelaida at first before they began screaming and shouting for Adelaida to show herself, the young woman shaking hysterically at the thought she would die here. She began to very quickly give up hope that the stranger from before was here, or that he could possibly help her in such a dire situation, she had accepted her death. Until, she heard it.

" _Who? Who enters now_?"

Unlike before, his voice rung like thunder in the large room, the crowd all turning to look at the man who had emerged at the top of the staircase. Adelaida stared on in horror from her hiding spot that he was very clearly ready to take on so many people at once. She was unsure how he could manage such a thing, or how he was so willing to do so without question - but she couldn't complain. Regardless, she worried for the strangers safety. His face was like stone as he looked out to the crowd who seemed just as shocked as she, and with a swift movement of his arm, he unsheathed a sword.

"You should know by now that visitors ****aren't**** welcome! How many more of you do I have to kill before you finally learn? Or do you think you're _better_ than the last that came?" In seconds, the man had went from the top of the staircase to being in the center of the mob, swiping his sword in a large motion as he took out several people at once, all in a flash of red light - Adelaida had never seen something like that before. One by one, he moved swiftly, in almost a dancing pattern, taking out each person one by one in flurries of light and slashes. Before long, everyone who had hunted Adelaida was dead - but even so, the stranger still stalked the hall with a look of pure malice on his face - she wondered what or who he looking for, but she very quickly realised that it was _her_.

"One more left. Where are _you_ hiding?" The voice of the man she had came to for protection, for the first time, was frightening her. Her body shaking as she attempted to use her voice as to flag him down and tell him it was only her, but she knew she could never use her voice whilst so frightened. And as suspected, a mere whimper left her lips, which instead of calling the man to who she was, more so seemed to tick off his natural instincts that an 'enemy' was nearby.

" _ ** **There****_ ," In a flash of light, Adelaida felt a weight throw her back against the back wall, her body slamming hard into the concrete, the man who was just across the room now pinning her to the wall with what felt like the strength of ten men. His face was strained with anger, his face close to her neck as he breathed his final words upon her. " _ ** **Found you****_."

The moment the words had left his mouth, the stranger suddenly looked shocked, stepping back from Adelaida as she slowly sunk down to her knees, holding her chest as she breathed heavily. She had thought at first that he had frightened her so badly that she was having a heart attack, but that thought very quickly subsided. Her mind reeled as the stranger now, for once, continued to look genuinely concerned for her, his sword clanking to the floor as he let it go, the sound awakening Adelaida from her trance like state of fear.

"Oh, I-... Sorry, I was caught up in-... Never mind that, are you okay?" Coming down to the level of Adelaida and putting his hand out to her, she slowly reached forth as to take it, but suddenly retracted on feeling how deathly cold he was, her eyes flashing up to him in concern for a moment before remembering what she had just seen. She assumed that for whatever he was, this must've been normal. Adelaida could only offer the man a nod as she once more took his hand, the gentleman helping her stand as she suddenly swayed and feel back into his arms, the man simply sighing in concern for her. He knew that at this point talking was useless as she was weak and he'd clearly scared her beyond speaking - thus, he simply helped her walk, moving with her forwards into the castle, his golden eyes watching her with intent as they moved.


	4. Chapter 4 - Overstay your welcome

Arm wrapped gently around the back of the frail woman, the stranger walked slowly with Adelaida, his hand intertwined with hers as the two took small steps through the large foyer. Golden eyes moved back and forth to their path, to the woman he held ever so gently - she was so light in weight that the man had to put not even the slightest bit of effort into helping her. He wondered if she was perhaps afflicted with a sickness he did not quite understand, or if that it was merely the shock that had struck her so deeply - but regardless, he knew that right now, she was unwell and that it had to be taken care of before she worsened. Upon reaching the large staircase, the stranger's eyebrows furrowed slightly - at this rate, she would surely collapse if she took on the stairs. Thus, with a gentle ' _forgive me_ ', he swept Adelaida into his arms as gentle as the breeze, the young woman hardly reacting to his rather intimate touch. Without thought, more so out of being so tired and relieved that she was finally safe, her head gently rested against his chest as she let out a sigh - his shirt was soft against her cheek. Her hand gently gripped the back of his jacket as he began walking up the stairs, Adelaida holding with all her strength onto the one person who had showed her any form of kindness in so long - the man she had assumed was merely a figment of her imagination from how unorthodox the kindness was to her. Silent tears trickled down her cheeks as she rested against the man she now knew was real - she was unsure of how she could ever thank him for what he had done for her.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, the stranger slowly let Adelaida down once more to her feet, wrapping his arm around her once more as to stabilize her and holding her small hand to lead her. The castle interior was more and more mind blowing to Adelaida. Such beauty hidden away in the woods - it was like something from a fairytale, something she couldn't believe _actually_ existed, and yet, here she was walking the halls with the man who'd shown her such kindness. Turning a corner and entering a small study room, the man lead Adelaida to a chair situated by a large fireplace, the girl sitting down gently as she gazed on to him, the stranger only seeing now her tear stained cheeks. He was unsure as to why she had suddenly been struck with such sadness, be it with perhaps pain or mental strain - but her face didn't read either, only content. As she sat in the same chair he did when he had mourned his family so many times, tears on her face - he saw a reflection of himself in her eyes in that moment, a mirror image of how he had felt sitting in that very place so many times.

"You're safe now," He said in a gentle tone as he lowered himself to one knee before Adelaida as to come closer to her level, a neutral expression on his face as he gazed into the blue eyes of his guest. "No-one will hurt you any more today, I can assure you. Please, do you have a name?"

Adelaida's head tilted slightly, her eyes averting from the stranger as her hands gently wrapped each other. She was unsure why in those moments she felt so nervous as to tell him her name, when he already knew so much about her. Perhaps it was the attachment her name had to her sadness, as it was known in many places as the name of the ' _witch_ '. Yet, ever still, she told him.

" _Adelaida, Adelaida Nicolae_."

Never before had he heard of such a name. ' _Nicolae_ '. His eyes squinted at her as he pondered where she might've came from to have such a name, but he quickly dismissed it - there was much more important things to attend to. Just as before, she was bleeding, and he was finding it more than unnerving. Of course he could easily control himself, but he would prefer if there wasn't such a thing right in front of him, plus, it was somewhat shocking to look at. Rising to his feet once more, the stranger moved to the fireplace, leaning against the mantle gently as the girl stared on at him. Adelaida wondered what was going on inside his head and why he looked almost torn to be around her - perhaps he too had recognised her name, or perhaps he was reconsidering having her around him. She wasn't sure, but she wanted to know more about this stranger before her mind ran away with her, or before her time was up here.

"Pardon me, but, what's your na-"

"You will _leave_ this place by morning," His strong tone cut Adelaida off from speaking, her eyes instantly averting from him as he cast her a stone cold look. "I do _not_ take well to visitors in the best of times, and, it's much better for you to stay away from this place, trust me."

Adelaida almost felt like begging the man as to not make her leave, but she knew she couldn't dare overstay her welcome. A part of her mind had almost wished that this man would simply let her stay here and be beside him, but, she knew nothing of this man. She knew what he looked like and that he seemed kind enough, but the truth was that they were still strangers. There's no way she could expect him to do anything for her - she knew then that her fantasies of a knight saving her were truly dashed, but Adelaida couldn't blame the man - no-one wanted to be around her for long.

"O-Of course," She answered back as her eyes continued to stare off to the ground, her frail hands gripping the arm rest of the chair. "I wouldn't dare overstay my welcome. By sunrise, I shall be gone. I thank you greatly for the help you have given me." Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke what felt like her last farewell to the man, her eyes stinging as tears threatened to once again fall.

A huge flaw in Adelaida's personality is that she always found herself getting attached to people far too quickly - it always resulted in her getting terribly hurt when they left her alone. Yet, it was something about herself she just couldn't change. Kindness was so rare in the world now, and Adelaida couldn't help but latch to those who showed her any form of sympathy - be that someone who simply offers her a drink of water or a mysterious stranger by a lake. It was a habit she just couldn't change, even if it was a big factor in her sadness.

"So, what happened to you? Why are you so sick?" The curious question came as a shock to Adelaida, her eyes opening wide for a moment before a hand came up to run through her hair - retelling her tale always made her feel ill. Yet, she relented - he at least deserved to know.

"During the attacks, I was cornered one night by a creature, but somehow not killed. Somehow, my hair turned grey by morning. I don't know how, but it did. Ever since, I've been an outcast, and haven't been able to function in the city the same anymore, so I'm constantly going hungry and without sleep. I believe that is why.." Her voice gently trailed of as the man stared on at her with the same, never faltering, neutral expression. As always, he was unreadable, but he seemed to have taken in what she said as he nodded lightly to himself in thought. He'd never heard of such a thing happening to someone out of shock, but he was sure it was plausible as of course the witch theory couldn't be true. A hint of sadness for Adelaida tugged at his un-beating heart for but a moment until he shrugged it off, shaking his head slightly as to bring himself back from the strain.

On hearing her story, the man bowed his head to Adelaida before excusing himself out of the room, Adelaida staring over her shoulder after him for a moment before sinking into the chair by the fire, tears finally spilling from her eyes. His footsteps echoed down the fall until they faded into nothing, Adelaida curling up in the room lit only by the fire, her head leaning against the side of the chair as she cried softly. Her fantasy of someone saving her was truly over.

The man walked himself to another room, a small library of sorts, his pale hand reaching for a book gently, opening it up and attempting to read - but, the words wouldn't stay in his mind.

 _That girl_.

He had to admit, for a Human such as herself, so weakened by society, she was astonishing to see alive and still kind enough to bend to his word - he couldn't quite put into words how it made him feel. Yet in those moments, as he tried his best to shun the girl from his mind, he knew a part of him screamed to protect her. Maybe it was the similarities her story had to his mothers, or maybe it was her sickly appearance - but something deep inside of him told him to protect this woman. She'd seen him massacre a whole crowd right in front of her, and yet she still clung to him like a lost puppy, it was clear she needed company almost as much as he. Her loneliness had driven her to seek refuge in someone she'd just met days prior - it reminded him of himself, although, on the inside. The stranger wondered if maybe she was using him as to get something from him, but he doubted this possible, she _clearly_ had no idea who he was. Thus, he made a decision as he stood stuck in thought - it was unsafe for her to go back into the open world, she had to stay. Even if it too wasn't safe for her to stay in the castle with him, he preferred that over seeing her burned alive. At least if she was in the castle, he could watch over her.

Looking over his shoulder to his papers threw around the room in his fits of sudden study, he decided another valid reason for her to be there apart from just to protect her. She could write for him, document the things he discovers as he discovered it - surely, she would happily do such a task in return for staying with him. It would be beneficial for them both, give them both company and a reason to be doing what they were doing - it was a perfect plan. In the morning, he would propose the idea to her, but for now, she needed to sleep and he couldn't help but study more into her apparent condition.

And thus, in the dying candle light, the castle once more - fell silent.


	5. Chapter 5 - Not if, but when

As the sun came over the hills in the early hours of the morning, the man still found himself sat upright at his desk, books piled high on either side of him as light shone through the stained glass window - he'd been studying all night, again. As the sunlight began to warm his skin slightly, he remembered his proposition he wanted to make to Adelaida, that he wanted her to stay. Surely, she'd still be asleep by this point, she was utterly exhausted by the time she'd reached the castle. He knew that a woman like her, so gentle and weak, would have no chance on the outside word - he couldn't expect her to run to him every time she was attacked, there was no saying she'd even make it if it happened again, which he was sure it would. It wasn't a question of _if_ she would die, but _when_. The offer he had for her pressed on his mind direly, and thus, he knew he had to talk to her before his thoughts ran away with him.

Pushing himself up from his chair gently and leaving his small study, he paced down the hall towards the small room he'd left her in for the evening. Trust be told, he did feel somewhat guilty that he didn't get her a bed to sleep in, but at the same time, he knew regardless of where she was she'd fall asleep quickly due to her tired state. Perhaps he could've given her a blanket, or something other than just the chair, but it hadn't phased him until now - he forgot that Humans could feel the cold, and that they found it unpleasant. He'd hoped that her night was comfortable enough.

Upon reaching the door to the room where he'd left her, he paused for a moment, his hand gently resting against the door of the room. A pang of reluctancy echoed inside of him, his golden eyes staring forth to the wooden door as he thought of her hurt expression, that perhaps she'd think he was accusing her of being weak - but even so, he assured himself that it was for the best. Slowly turning the handle and pushing open the creaking door, he stood in the open doorway for a moment, staring over to the chair that had its back to him, the chair he'd left the girl to sleep in. Everything in the room was still place and the fire was dying, the curtains gently fluttering in a draft - it seemed she was still asleep.

"Please do forgive me," He began in a gentle voice as he took his first steps into the room, pausing as he stood straight, facing the back of the chair he assumed the girl was in. "But, I have something I _must_ ask of you, and that is that-" Approaching the chair with soft steps, and then placing his hand atop, he slowly leaned himself forwards, looking over the top of the chair and gazing downwards - he was suddenly at a loss for words. The girl, she was _gone_.

 _How did she-? Where did she-?_

"Adelaida?" But a whisper of her name escaped her as his hand gripped the back of the chair she had been. As he had many times, he wondered if he'd imagined her as to fill the void in his heart, but he had touched her, so she _had_ to be real. Stepping back from the chair, smoke from the now dying fire filling his senses, he moved to a window in the room, hand gently pressing up against the glass as he gazed out into the woods as the morning sun flooded past the trees - not a movement in sight. He paused himself for a moment, closing his eyes and concentrating on the castle to feel for her presence, to see if she'd simply just began to explore, but as he stood still - he felt nothing, she was gone. In those moments, his mind referred back to what he'd said to her the evening before, he'd utterly forgotten that he told her to leave by morning. He cursed gently to himself before stepping back from the window, he _had_ to go look for her.

Upon reaching the city, he took his time as to adjust his attitude and movements to those of Humans - it wasn't often he left the castle, and even less often he was around so many Humans, so he did his best as to appear perfectly normal as to not draw any unwanted attention towards himself. The city, as he had assumed it would be, was bustling. Birds singing, animals crying, people shouting, vendors selling - it was just as any city, but to him, it was yet another obstacle in the way of what he was looking for. He immediately began his search of her over the city, but to his dismay, she was no-where in sight. He wondered to himself if perhaps she'd be in a church or some other Human safe haven, but even then he knew she'd be chased away from there as well, even if the people of said church preached acceptance. He knew how people, especially those of a religious standpoint, treated those they did not understand. Thus, he turned his attention away from the buildings of grace towards the market place, surely she might've been there trying to find something to eat. It was the best guess he had to where she might've been. Moving forwards through the market, his eyes scanning the large area, he slowly approached a stall, looking to the woman behind it for answers - perhaps someone had seen her recently.

"Pardon me, but, you wouldn't of happened to see a young woman around here, would you? Grey haired, slightly ill in appearance?" His golden eyes scanned the woman, she looked older, surely someone of her age would have empathy for a young man looking for someone with such clear direness, but not to any shock, her face dropped with the words 'grey' and 'ill'.

"Oh, _her_ ," The way she spoke made his eyes squint at her. Clearly, she'd knew her before he did - but she didn't sound pleased about it. "Haven't seen 'er for about a day now. 'Opefully, that witch was taken care of. She's the one that's been causin' all the problems round 'ere." Never before had he wished so much to draw his sword upon a civilian, but he chose to keep a face, merely bowing his head and thanking her for her help gently as to not cause a scene.

He had to hope that he wouldn't be too late. He refused to let another innocent woman die. Not again. ****Never**** again. She was so weak - he knew it would be so easy for her to be beat, captured, sold even. But he knew that wasn't what the Humans of this city wanted to do to her - he knew what they did to 'witches'. Thus, with that terrible thought in mind, he left the city, taking to horseback as to go to the next in search of the young woman.

Upon reaching the next town over, it was just as busy and alive as the last, this making the man groan slightly - it wouldn't be easy to find her in such a large crowd, especially when he was just guessing that she might've been here. Regardless, he slipped off his horse by the town gates and began to move into the town, his eyes gazing around the small market that was at the very front. He was ready to take off in another direction, when he suddenly saw her.

" _Adelaida_.." He spoke gently to himself as he saw the figure of the young woman standing by a stall, his legs moving before he truly realised, approaching her quickly as if he thought she'd be snatched before his eyes. " ** **Adelaida****! I-," With a gentle yelp, the grey haired girl turned to him with a look of terror, her eyes wide as they met his as if his raised voice had scared her. He took a moment, realising that he probably shouldn't have approached her so quickly, but still, he felt much more relaxed seeing her alive and well. "I'm sorry but, I've been looking for you. I was meaning to ask you something, but you left so early," Guilt once more washed over him as it was he who told her to leave, but he quickly dismissed it. "I would like to ask you to be my scribe, and to work and live with me. I can offer you protection, and you can be my assistant. It'll be a fairly taxing job as there are no off days, and no breaks - you work when I do and must do everything I say. But, I promise your safety to you, and that no-one will be able to harm you again." Adelaida stared at him with a confused expression, his eyes drawing up and down his figure as she took in his offer. It was a dream like offer, something she could never pass up - but as he, she felt a level of guilt. She felt as if it was almost wrong to have someone constantly look out for her safety, someone she hardly knew - it was a troubling dilemma, especially when the offer was so great. The man saw the uncertainty wash over, and in those moments he wondered if he'd been too forward with her. He knew it was an unorthodox thing to ask and that she had every right to be wary of him, but he knew they both needed company and that she needed the protection - the job was simply a veil as to make the offer feel less random. A valid reason for him to keep her close. Yet as his hope began to fade, Adelaida gently nodded her head, accepting his offer, a soft smile on her lips as she did so.

"You will? Perfect, we should probably start to get home then, to the castle. You can eat there, and then we may discuss this further." Putting his arm out gently to Adelaida, the young woman slowly took it, her frail hands holding onto him as the two began to move side by side, back towards the gates of the town. In those moment, a peace of mind washed over both figures, a feeling that for once, everything was alright - it was a feeling neither was used to, but both welcomed with open arms. Once again, her nameless knight had rescued her.

"Please, sir, what name may I call you by?" Adelaida asked softly to the man as they walked together, his golden eyes glancing down to her as they reached his horse, a gentle smile gracing his lips as the two stopped walking. Although she felt somewhat rude asking, she knew she couldn't go on further without knowing the name of the man who had helped her and showed her so much kindness, it was a mystery she had to have solved. Many times she had wondered what name a man such as him could have, but nothing ever truly came to her - thus, she just had to know. In those moments, the man felt a strange feeling inside of him, yet again this Human had shown such curtesy so him, it was refreshing after the Human he had met in the market place. He gently took one of her hands in his, bowing his head to her as a sign of respect. He realised unlike other people had had met and come to know, he hadn't had a proper introduction to Adelaida, and that this whole time she'd truly had no idea who he was. Thus, he knew that now it was finally time to lift the veil on his true identity.

"My name is Adrien, and it's a pleasure to have made your acquaintance, Adelaida."


	6. Chapter 6 - Sicker than he thought

On arrival back to the castle, Adelaida once again felt that wonder she did that night before when she first arrived as to find Adrien for his help, but this time there was a different feeling attached to it - peace. Instead of throwing herself through massive doors while being chased by a crowd of blood thirsty people, she had her arms delicately wrapped around her saviour. It was a comforting change of pace. Although still unsure about the offer he'd given her, she was ready to bend to his will if it brought her the continued companionship and safety he had promised to her.  
"Come now, off we get." Like a gentle breeze, Adrien's voice spoke up as he stood by the horse outside the castle doors, arms outstretched upwards as to assist Adelaida as she slipped off, his gloved hands grasping her waist as he let her down easily. Adelaida's small hands held his arms lightly as she touched ground, her wide eyes staring around in wonder once again, this causing Adrien to smirk lightly at the look of intrigue in the Human's eyes. Letting the young woman go and turning his attention to the castle once more, he began moving towards it, the young woman doing the same, scampering after his large steps.

Once more Adelaida found herself staring at the man whom done so much for her, her arm gently interlacing with his as they moved into the large castle, the place undisturbed as before he left it. The man hardly felt the woman's gentle touch as she basically floated right by him, but even so, he allowed her to be close as he shut the castle doors behind them with his free hand - finally, they were both home, and most of all, she was safe. He thought of all the things that could have happened in the few hours she had been gone, how she could've very easily been beaten, sold - killed. Truly, he was pleased that she was by his side and that another good Human was saved from the judgement of others. For the first time in a while, he felt as if he'd done a truly good thing, but only time could tell how successful his plan would be.

"Not to be rude but," Unlacing his arm from hers and stepping back, Adrien took a moment to look over the woman, his eyes squinting at her somewhat as he re-took in her appearance. Indeed he had seen her in a state like this before, but he was sure that she was even more beat up than the last time he'd seen, and it didn't sit well with him. The blood and dirt that covered her frail body made him feel uncomfortable, and he knew he couldn't have her around like that for much longer. "I believe you should take a bath, to wash off all that blood. If you follow me I'll show you where to go, I'm unsure if I can stand you looking like this much longer." He spoke gently to her as Adelaida glanced down to herself - he was right, even although she had washed herself in the lake not long ago she and the dress she wore still looked pretty horrific. She was unsure if he meant to insult her or if he found it hard to see her appear so unwell, but either way she agreed with him - something had to be done about her less than appealing appearance. Nodding silently, Adelaida moved after the man as he moved further into the home, her eyes casting around to the grandness of the hall once more. The candelabras, the large pillars, the grand staircase, the long red carpet, the incredibly high roof - it was simply amazing to behold once more.

"Pardon me but, have you always lived alone? This place, it's... spectacular, too spectacular for one person if you don't mind me saying."

Although the urge to snap at her graced his mind, Adrien could not fault the innocent question she had asked him, even if it did touch upon a still very much so open wound. He took a moment as to adjust himself before taking to the stairs, his pale hand gripping the banister for a time before he looked back to Adelaida, the look of wonder on her face making him sigh.

"I didn't always live alone," He began softly as he took to climbing the large staircase, his boots ringing out loudly with each step he took. "I used to have a family, but... they were taken away under less desirable circumstances, a lot like yours, Adelaida," Stepping up step by step, Adrien felt a pang of sorrow inside his chest as he recounted what had happened in the last few years. He knew it was for the best that his father was dead and that the world being torn to shreds was avoided, but he couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret clawing at his mind. He wondered at times if he could've done anything to set his father straight or to save his mother, but he knew dwelling on those thoughts would do nothing for him but cause unneeded stress and grief. "But ever since, yes, yes I've lived alone. But, not anymore." Turning his head to look to the young lady who was skipping up the steps behind him, a gentle smile appearing on his face as his golden eyes met Adelaida's. Although still slightly apprehensive about his proposal to her, he knew that regardless of how it went that they both needed the company and that this would benefit them both greatly from a phycological standpoint, even if his original plan didn't go well.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Adrien moved down the hallway swiftly, taking sharp turns through the building as Adelaida struggled to keep up with his extremely fast pace. Suddenly halting at a door, he turned as to talk to the young woman only to see her shakily walking towards him still slowly - he forgot at times how sick she was and that she was merely a Human, and not to mention how fast he could truly move compared to her. He would need to remember that as to not cause her body any more stress when moving around the castle after him, or he would simply need to remember to carry her, which seemed much more sensible given her struggles. Once she reached him, he finally opened the door of the room which revealed something Adelaida had never seen - a makeshift bath-house.

The room was quite large, the walls made of exposed light coloured stone and a smooth floor, an arched ceiling giving way to pillars that ran though the center of the room for what seemed to be more decoration that actual structural support. From the roof hung large class cases that shone brightly, more so than any lantern could, a soft blue light emitting from it, giving the room a very relaxing feeling. In the center of the floor, down a small step of stone stairs, sat a steaming pool of water, blankets hung on hooks near the back of the room. It was breathtaking, truly unlike anything she'd ever seen.  
"You'll find all you need in there. As for your dress, well... there isn't much I can really offer you, not right now anyway. Perhaps also take the time to wash that and we can find you something else to wear later. When you're done, please make your way to the study, it's just down the hall, I'll leave the door open for you. Until then, Adelaida." Giving her a firm nod, Adrien bowed gently before taking his leave down the hall, leaving Adelaida in the doorway of the large room by herself, and with a breath, she finally stood inside, closing the heavy door behind her. There was a definite heat coming from the room, the water slightly steaming - although she couldn't figure out how it was doing such a thing, she assumed it was yet another mystery of the castle, as with the strange light that glowed so brightly from the ceiling.

Slowly slipping her dress from her body, she stood for a moment looking over herself, it had been so long since she'd been out of her dress, and even longer since she'd been able to gaze upon her bare features - it was worse than she could've assumed. Her ribs showed through her skin as if they could rip though any day, her knees were bruised and beat up, and even now, her lash marks on her back still looked brand new - she found her appearance, in a word, repulsive.

Taking a deep breath, Adelaida stepped into the warm water, sitting gently on a step, keeping herself nearly completely submerged as she very quickly got lost in thought. Just days ago, she was submerged in a freezing cold lake in the dead of night attempting to wash the blood and dirt from her body while trying to avoid freezing to death, now, she was in a hot bath in a castle, owned by a man she offhandedly met in the woods - it was like a old story from a fable of some kind, she could hardly believe she was living it, but she was extremely thankful none the less. She wondered how her mother would feel if she knew she'd run off to live with a mysterious stranger, or how her brothers would feel if they knew she was happily removing her clothes to bathe in his home, but she quickly dismissed those thoughts.  
Adelaida relaxed for a while longer before she began to wipe the blood and dirt off herself properly, her frail hands gliding across her pale skin to reveal more bruises and scars than she knew she had - it made her happy that her dress covered her arms and legs completely as to not let her new friend see how hurt she was. Washing her hair also was more troublesome than she thought, it was a lot dirtier than she'd assumed, the darker colour it was fading as the warm water washed out all the ash and soot, leaving her hair its true form, a much paler grey, almost white shade. It was simply horrifying to Adelaida to see how pale her hair had gotten, and the white streaks that came with it, but she was happy that she finally after so long felt truly clean, even if it did show how unwell she truly her attention to her dress, she pulled it to the bath's edge and only submerged the pieces of the dress with the most dirt or blood, attempting to scrub the cream colour fabric clean. She would've submerged the whole dress and cleaned it correctly if it wasn't for the fact that she had to put it back on again immediately. Perhaps in a time when she and her new friend were more acquainted she could walk around in just a blanket, but she felt it extremely inappropriate at this time, plus, the castle was cold enough as is. If she wore just a blanket or a completely wet dress she'd surely die of a chill - for now it was best to just wash what she could and wait until she could find herself a new dress to wear.

Once completely clean and satisfied with the condition of her dress, Adelaida stepped from the bath and wrapped her body in one of the many blankets that was hung up in the room, drying off her body and hair gently before slipping back into her slightly damp dress. Taking a few minutes more to sit in the gentle heat of the room, Adelaida felt ready to face the task at hand and left the room, moving back through the halls to reach the study he had told her to come to. As she walked she wondered if she'd truly be good enough at this job for him, that maybe her handwriting wouldn't be satisfactory or that she wouldn't be able to keep up, but she knew those thoughts would do her no good - she could only try her best, although she did wish to please him.

Upon reaching a room with a slightly opened door, Adelaida knocked gently, not walking in until she heard Adrien's voice from inside telling her to enter, and as she did, she found him stood by his desk in thought, a large book in his hands, his golden eyes running across the pages quickly before they looked up to her. His expression was stoic, although he seemed satisfied that she was finally clean, but he didn't seem to truly take in her appearance. The study was unsurprisingly messy, books and documents strewn unceremoniously around the smaller room, as well as random objects and writing utensils - it was clearly the study of someone with a mind that hungered for knowledge, unable to concentrate on one subject at once. It became then quite obvious why a scribe would be helpful to him.  
"I've set aside the things you'll need on that table there - it should be everything you need to begin," Adrien's voice spoke out in a somewhat monotone way, his free hand that wasn't holding a book pointing towards a small table by the window that indeed seemed to have everything she could ever need for the position he'd given her. A quill, ink, and several hardback books that she assumed were for her to fill with properly penned words of his findings. Without a second thought, Adelaida sat herself down at her new work station as Adrien very quickly got to gathering the things he needed rewritten, documents after documents of undiscernible writings about many subjects, all for Adelaida to properly write and keep note of. She was well aware of what he'd said before, that the work wouldn't be easy and that there would be little to no breaks, but even so a feeling of anxiety struck her - would it always be this demanding? "I want these written properly, and please, sectioned out by subject if possible. After that, I want you to-" Leaning over the smaller girl and setting the pages for her to copy down in front of her, Adrien suddenly stopped in his tracks, his voice trailing off as his eyes adjusted to her. As she, he now noticed the very obvious colour shift in her hair and how pale it was - he was certain it hadn't been this way before. As she, he felt unsettled by the nearly stark white colour.

"No, actually, I have a better idea," The man spoke as he took the documents back and set them aside once more, his focus now on his house guest. "I've always been more curious of the science of Humans and-... I believe we should begin with you. Never before have I seen a Human appear so outwardly, if you don't mind me saying, hauntingly sick. Perhaps instead of rewriting the things I have already documented myself, I should study you, maybe then I can find you some sort of cure." He was unsure why he decided to in that moment throw his studies aside and take to studying his house guest, but something inside of him changed the moment he realised the true nature of her illness - he wanted to help her. If she was getting worse, he wanted to slow the process and maybe even get her back to health - it was times like this, where his notion to help Humans shone through, that reminded him that his mother's spirit very much so lived on inside of him. And with a vow internally to do what she would have wanted, Adrien in those moments decided that Adelaida would be his link to his mother - his first patient. Although never having truly looked into medicine or its workings, he found himself more willing than ever to look into what was wrong with his house guest and how he could possibly help her come back to health. Be it the wish to please his mother or his selfish wish to keep Adelaida by his side for as long as possible - he was ready to start a new path with her.

"Adelaida, write down anything you can about your condition, and, please - skip no details."


	7. Chapter 7 - His mistake, her misfortune

Author Notes: Thank you so much for all the support on this fic so far! I hope you continue to enjoy it! Also, I have changed it from her knowing him as Alucard to Adrien as to continue to keep her in the dark of his true identity! Sorry for this mistake! 

As requested that day, Adeladia wrote down everything Adrien could've ever wanted about herself - and thus, the man began his tireless study into her wellbeing, the weak girl by his side on every turn. For Adeladia, days had felt like weeks, the relentlessness of her job slowly becoming far too much for the sickly girl to handle. The sun would rise and it would fall in what felt like years, only ever falling asleep at her small desk as her saviour moved around in constant thought, wracking his brain for anything he could as to help her. Adeladia wondered if he had perhaps forgotten her Human needs as he clearly wasn't such - she was unsure, but as the days passed she could feel her body suffering under the weight of this new job. At first, all was well. He had allocated her a place to rest, at times brought her food and always made sure there was a jug of water kept nearby, but over time he seemed to forget these simple needs. She was too busy to even go near her room, the food slowly ran out and the water became less and less frequent - the man had become completely consumed by his study into the girl, indirectly harming her more in the process of trying to bring her back to health. Her hands would shake and her mind would wander - writing was no longer an easy task, although, at the end of the day, she did agree to the job and he did warn her of the difficulties, but she had never thought it would be like this. Their blossoming friendship had very slowly turned into an almost 'master and servant' complex, and the thought itself made Adeladia feel sick. She was so sure for a time that this man could be her first friend in years, that maybe he was different, but her thoughts of him being a 'saviour' to her, were in jeopardy. Of course, she silently thanked him each day for the kindness he had shown her and the fact that he sheltered her and kept her safe from the outside world, but that was past now, and his 'care' was turning into harm.

The blonde man sat in thought at his own desk, gloved hand upon his forehead as he stared down to a stack of re-written documents, Adeladia glancing to him wearily, hoping that today perhaps he'd allow her to rest, but from his stoic expression, she could tell that today was like no other. She knew what he did wasn't intentional, and that he never truly wanted to harm her, that he'd simply become too caught up in trying to help her - but she couldn't allow it to go on in such a way. Surely a month of relentless work was enough thanks. Her hand trembled at the thought of speaking out against him. Even although they were together most days, Adeladia never truly felt close to her 'knight', in fact, she felt even more distant from him now than ever before. Even when he stood close, it was like he wasn't even there. He was always lost in thought or just wouldn't respond to her at all - she had basically given up hope of any kind of friendship at this point. But she refused to let herself die under his care, even if it was by accident.

"Adrien, _please_ , I-"

"One more thesis Adeladia, just one more-"

" _No_ ," She said as gently as she could in an attempt to not upset the man, but from the sudden look of confusion on his face, she realised she had already failed. "I need a break. Please, just this once. I need but a moment." Without allowing him to respond, she stood up from her chair and very quickly removed herself from the small room, Adrien left staring after her in confusion.

Walking down the hall, Adeladia took a moment to rest, placing her hand against the wall and taking a deep breath - she was utterly exhausted. In those moments she longed for sleep, but she knew that she had to go outside, just for a minute - it had been so long. Ever since collapsing through his front doors, Adrien had never let her go outside in fear that someone may harm her or that it would make her more unwell, but she needed it. Ever since she was young, she was always outside either playing or walking, and even when she was on the streets she still enjoyed the rain and the sun - being constantly inside now was almost too much for her.

Continuing through the castle, Adeladia felt herself become more and more weary, as if her body was begging her to stop - but she had her goal, and she was determined to succeed. Yet, on her way, she paused - there was a painting on the wall she hadn't quite noticed before. Turning her body towards it, she squinted at the mesh curtains that had been put over it as to hide the large portrait, she was honestly unsure of how she hadn't noticed it before now. It was huge and in an oval shape, seemingly with three figures on it. She knew she shouldn't have, but unable to curve her curiosity and to learn more about the man she knew so little of, she gently moved the curtain aside as to gaze at the artwork. The figure to the left was an ethereally beautiful woman with long golden hair, a radiant smile and the most breath taking blue eyes she had ever seen painted. On the right, there was a very tall dark haired man who she could've swore was somehow familiar, but ever still, he had a gentle smile that made her lips curl to mimic him. He was intimidating and large, but too, fatherly and gentle. And in the centre, unmistakably, was Adrien as a child. Short curly blonde locks, stunning golden eyes - this was his family, his _parents_. The words he had spoken to her as she first arrived echoed inside of her mind - his family was ' _taken away_ ', just as hers had been. Perhaps this is how he had become the way he was, stoic and quiet. Maybe just as her, his family had been taken from him during the attacks on Wallachia, she couldn't be sure, and she knew they weren't nearly well acquainted enough for her to ask him - perhaps in time she would learn more about him and where he came from, but for now, she let the curtain once more fall over the large painting.

Continuing on through the halls, she finally came to the large staircase in the foyer, her heart beating hard as she dreaded the descent. Ever since her illness began, she had never been good with stairs, even more so now, but she just had to reach the outside. Taking her first step down and holding her breath, she could practically feel her body begging her to stop, but she was far too close now, and began down the stairs slowly, one step at a time, gripping the large banister as she did so. Once halfway down, she stood for a moment as to catch her breath before continuing with her descent down. Her mind went back to the times she would practically fly up the staircase in her family home before the attacks. How her and her siblings would race each other up and down them, sometimes just run up and down to keep fit, it was such a different time to the trembling mess she had become. Although, she would always try her best to continue to live as she did, she refused to let it get the better of her even although her body was clearly winning over her mind. As long as she could, she would never stop trying to survive.

Upon reaching the bottom, a gentle smile graced her face as she saw the door to the outside was so close now, and thus, she picked up her dress and began to walk towards the door, but as quickly as she started, something felt wrong, more wrong than usual. A sudden light-headedness came on that made the girl stop dead in her tracks, a cold sweat suddenly taking over as her vision began to tunnel. It was so fast she could hardly make sense of what was happening and why she had so suddenly began to feel so unwell, but deep down she knew - all of what had happened had simply pushed her body too far, and now, she was finally, truly, paying for it.

" _Where are you_ -" Over the ringing in her ears, Adeladia heard the gentle voice of Adrien from behind, her head turning to see the tall man standing at the top of the staircase, staring down at Adeladia with an uneasy expression. Yet before the man could even finish, Adeladia felt herself suddenly slip away, her consciousness leaving her as her frail body swayed. Within a moment, Adrien had appeared behind her, catching the falling woman with one hand as she fell, taking her hand in his other as he watched her hurt expression fall. "- _going_...?" The man finished as he held her ever so easily with one hand. He waited for a moment, expecting a response, but none came - she was utterly unconscious.

" _Adelaida_?"


	8. Chapter 8 - Some kind of monster

That night.

Screams of sheer terror filled the air as Adeladia ran as fast as she could, her brown hair whipping in the wind as she did her best as to escape the horrors of the night that followed her so closely behind.

Yet as everyone else, there was truly no escaping Dracula's hordes.

Upon reaching a dead end of a street, the sky's colour changing as dawn snuck at the edge of the city, Adeladia threw herself around to come face to face with one of the demonic winged beasts. Her breathing hitched as the giant, grotesque creature crawled its way towards her, red eyes gleaming as it practically drooled at the sight of the young girl before it - Adeladia could hardly believe her eyes. It was surely only a matter of moments now, she was going to die. Her vision blurred as bitter tears pooled in her eyes, her legs trembling from fear and from the pain that coursed through her exhausted body, and with a defeated sob, she sunk to the ground as the huge creature only inched closer to her by the second. Anything would've been better than this. Anything else she could've accepted, but this... how did she deserve to die like this? A loud, ground shaking screech left the mouth of the creature as it suddenly reared back, its magnificently large claws glowing in the moonlight for but a moment before it thrust downwards towards her. Adeladia shrieked with horror, her life basically flashing before her eyes before the loud, distinct sound of a whip cracking just before her startled her. With teary eyes, she had just enough time to see the creature basically burst into flames, and in that moment, Adeladia suddenly gasped and awoke - it was merely a dream. A trembling hand slowly came up and touched upon her hair, pulling a strand forth as to study it - grey. That memory...

Looking to her side, she was the distinct figure of Adrien standing by a large window, his back to her as light from the sunset shone through, covering the tall man like a veil. For a moment, Adeladia was almost unsure as to how she got into the position she was in, but in a second it came back to her, she had just been trying to get outside after finally having to take a break. She didn't know how she felt. Now, lying in bed, unable to walk as the man who had saved her stood afar, distant in thought - she knew that her idolised image of him, had truly been shattered.

"What were you thinking?"

As every time she heard it, his voice was always able to startle her, the girl jumping slightly at the sudden different tone he was using towards her. His tone was strong, forceful, angry even - she definitely hadn't heard, or had desired to hear this before, but it seemed that the whole situation had upset him also, but, for what reason? She wondered if it was because he worried for her health, or maybe, just because she left her position? Adeladia knew from her mother that talking with people had to be done specifically and carefully, especially men with power as him. There was a time to be gentle as to not escalate things, and there was a time for questions, to be more open. She knew now wasn't the time to be more open with her emotions, but it couldn't wait any longer.

"I was thinking that I wanted to go outside. See the sun, eat some food, drink some-"

"You could've been hurt. Or worse, died." Adrien's voice cut over Adeladia's words like a knife, his head turning as to show half of his face, his expression still stoic as always, but his eyes shining with something that could only be rage. Without a doubt, Adeladia was terrified - but she couldn't let this go on for any longer.

"I would've died being here with you! You didn't give me any food for 2 days! You were treating me like a servant! You could buy a servant from the market if that's what you wanted! I refuse to be like some sort of slave to you!" She cried from her bed as Adrien turned his body towards her, his head bowed as a clenched fist came up to his lips, the man standing in thought for a moment before his eyes blazed. Rage, had clearly turned to wrath.

"You know nothing of the world out there, Adeladia. Nothing. You write for me in exchange for your life. I work, to save your life. Weeks of study, Adeladia. Weeks of wasted time. I could've been using that time for anything, anything but this. Saving hundreds, no, thousands of lives - but no. I concentrated on you, and only you. How is all of this not enough for you to have some respect towards my rules?" Voice calm, but with thunder behind it, Adrien took a step forwards towards Adeladia as she sat, his face stricken with what seemed to be disgust.

"I just wanted to eat, and sleep! Like a regular Human being, just like y-"

"I'm not-," There was an audible, sudden pause, Adrien's face suddenly turning from wrath, to a sudden pang of sadness, his face averting from Adeladia as his voice softened. "I'm not... like you, Adeladia. I'm not... Ｈｕｍａｎ." Drawing out his last word like it was a burden to say, Adrien leaned an arm up against the wall as his shoulders dropped, the aura in the room very suddenly turning from tense and threatening, to melancholic and woeful. If it hadn't been for the things she'd seen before, she'd almost assume he meant in a metaphorical way that he wasn't Human, but now, she knew for sure - Adrien was something else. Some kind of...

...Ｍｏｎｓｔｅｒ？

Surely not.

"At times, we all feel inhuman. We feel as if we're unlike those who surround us. I'm not-," Adeladia paused, struggling to get her words out - what was she even trying to say? She want unsure why she was trying to comfort him, especially when he had done her so wrong, but alas, not even she could continue to be upset with him when he looked so mournful. "I'm not angry with you, I just want you to know that what happened just... it wasn't okay, Adrien. If you want me to work for you, and you want to study me, you need to help me before I can help you."

There was a silence between the two for a moment, Adelaida left staring on at the blonde man as he continued to stay, as always, motionless. Although, on his face, was something new - clear contemplation. There was something swirling in his mind, and from the almost pained expression on his face, it was clear that whatever it was, was pressing harshly on his mind. Adelaida almost went to speak once more, to comfort the man who seemed so pained even when she really shouldn't have. She almost did, until he once more broke the silence between the two.

"My name is Adrien Fahrenheit Tepes, my father was Dracula, Vlad Tepes - you might've heard of me as Alucard. It was my Father who did this thing to your family."

 _"What?"_


End file.
